Saturday, June 07, 2014

Belmont Stakes 2014 (Updated)

Update: It looks like yet another year without a Triple Crown winner. Tonalist, a horse many, many people thought was the horse most likely to pull off an upset today, did indeed do it. It was his fifth career win. His jockey is Joel Rosario.

It was a good race, and the horses were tightly bunched. Some observers blamed jockey Victor Espinoza for not taking California Chrome to the front and controlling the pace, as the horse has been known to dislike being around other horses. However, it might simply be the case that he ran out of gas today.

He didn't embarrass himself, however. He dead-heated for fourth along with Wicked Strong. Second place was Commissioner, and third place was Medal Count.

The time was a snail's pace 2:28.52. Not that I was expecting anybody to come close to breaking Secretariat's record unless a horse and jockey leap over the backstretch fence, cut across the infield Rosie Ruiz-style, leap over the homestretch fence, and finish first.

Video of the race. At least it is properly recorded and not that iPhone point-and-record shit. Of course this means NBC-Universal will issue a takedown notice to YouTube.

A couple of weeks ago, Tonalist won the Peter Pan Stakes. This was the race that many thought gave him the credentials to be a spoiler in the Belmont:

Earlier: A great day weather-wise is expected for the Belmont Stakes. California Chrome is favored to win it and become the 12th Triple Crown winner.

His biggest problem is he is facing several "fresh horses" who were in the Kentucky Derby but skipped the Preakness.